We need to know how we know things. This became clear again as some of my friends have been making big decisions, lately. They don’t have as many resources for discernment as they wish they had. A couple of times we got out our old baseball diamond chart and tried to “run the bases” enough times to figure something out.
The idea of this simple chart is to make a bit of sense about how we believers have a rational thinking process. The basic chart is about what we consciously know, at this point, about what God is saying to us, and how we might sort that out.
The creation – We start as creatures in God’s creation, with instincts about what is good and bad, safe and dangerous, beautiful and ugly, etc. Some people might call this an appreciation of “natural law.” Some people would say that one can know a lot about God by sitting on the beach looking at the ocean.
The Bible – It is like first base, our elementary, basic teaching about revelation. It is the basis of our “institution’s” understanding, our tradition, history and ritual. In that way the Bible is a bit like a parent and we are the children. Our understanding of God starts here. Note: people or institutions that live on first base might be a bit infantile.
The Body – The church is like second base, it includes first. In the church we have a dialogue going. Our critical thinking is engaged. We discern things through with each other. In this way the body allows us some teenage thinking, when we need a place where we can dare to be someone while still in a secure environment. Note: people or institutions that stay on second base can end up designed for endless argument.
The Spirit – It is like getting to third base to consider how God is directly speaking to us, when our thoughts and God’s coincide. These are the times like Paul meeting Jesus on the road, or Jesus calling Matthew to follow. We long for a daily sense of discernment and direction– a sense that we feel what we know and love God for who God is. Note: people or institutions who camp on third base can be so subjective their conclusions can ultimately be more about themselves than God.
Then we get back to home with a deeper understanding of our place in creation and our mission in the re-creation.
Obviously, that is a somewhat surface idea about the complexity of thinking. It is mainly on a rational level. Lately I thought that I should be considering how to run the bases on an organismic level, meaning there is more to us than our thoughts. We listen and learn with our emotions and our new spiritual instincts as well.
The creation – I need to consider how I work. I am a peculiar creation with a way about me that is natural for me. I should honor that and live out of my new self with confidence.
The Bible – Reading the Bible is not just about understanding concepts. The Bible leads us to the basic disciplines of meditation and prayer. I have a collection of basic approaches to laying a spiritual foundation that must accompany my reading, so I am saturated with the truth and love that is revealed.
The Body – My place in the body is elemental to my knowledge of God. Here I receive spiritual direction from caring people who know me. Here I test out my gifts and prove my value. From here I launch into mission. In the process of building, I am built.
The Spirit – I have a whole side to me that is being discovered. God may lead me through new impulses, through visions. My dreams may come to have deeper meaning. I may receive words of prophecy, even the ability to heal. My daily experience of life has changed, so that everything has meaning.
I put out this very basic thinking to encourage anyone who is listening to run the bases a few times today at some various levels. Almost any subject can benfit from some structured thinking: What should I do about my marriage? How should I enter into the meeting at work today? How is God responding to the fear I am feeling? What should I do next? God bless you as you do some spiritual huffing and puffing around the diamond.
[For a nice treatment of a lot of this, pick up Wilkie and Noreen Au's The Discerning Heart]
Tags: discernment, Wilkie Au
July 6, 2009 at 1:56 pm |
I really love these images, and not just because they relate to baseball. I love the image of “in the process of building, we are built.” What a great message to send to many of us who are doing God’s work, and being transformed through.
July 10, 2009 at 11:48 am |
great imagery Rod. I love how this (in one way) spells out the kind of places we can be at, and where our intimates and friends and community members may be coming from. I can picture what its like to yell from base to base at each other trying to communicate from such varying places! Im glad we have a good ump.